House Passes “Donald Trump Act” Which Punishes Sanctuary Cities for Not Following the Law

House Republicans passed legislation on Thursday that would deny federal funds to sanctuary cities.

The bill, passed 241-179, would withhold certain federal law enforcement grants to cities that have policies designed to shelter illegal immigrants from deportation.

Sanctuary cities have come under heavy scrutiny in the wake of Kathryn Steinle’s death on July 1 in San Francisco. Authorities charged Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez with her killing. Lopez-Sanchez, who is in the U.S. illegally, has a history of felony convictions and has been deported five times.

Critics of the sanctuary laws say such policies encourage people to immigrate to the U.S. illegally at the expense of citizens.

“A refuge for whom? A sanctuary for whom?” Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said. “A sanctuary for Kate Steinle? Or a refuge for a convicted felon with a 25-year-long criminal history?”

Democrats accused House Republicans of bringing up the bill in part because of real estate mogul and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s focus on illegal immigration and sanctuary cities; they dubbed the bill the “Donald Trump Act.”

“Just a few weeks into his campaign and Donald Trump has a bill on the floor of the House. That is better than some of the senators he’s running against.” Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) said mockingly.

Republicans denied that Trump had any influence on their decision to bring up the legislation.

“This is a valid concern that we’re voting on today,” said Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.), who has often broken with his party on immigration in the past and said he finds Trump’s comments offensive. “I’m not going to let Donald Trump dictate my vote.”

Five Republicans joined all but six Democrats in opposing the measure.

The five Republicans who voted against the bill were Reps. Carlos Curbelo (Fla.), Bob Dold (Ill.), Dan Donovan (N.Y.), Pete King (N.Y.) and Dave Reichert (Wash.).

The sanctuary city debate centers on laws that are aimed at encouraging illegal immigrants to report crimes to the police without fear of deportation.

Before Steinle’s death, the Federal Bureau of Prisons transferred Lopez-Sanchez to the San Francisco Police Department for an outstanding arrest warrant on drug charges.

But San Francisco authorities dropped the charges and released Lopez-Sanchez weeks later despite a request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to receive notification of his release because Lopez-Sanchez was prioritized for deportation.

Democrats have argued that Lopez-Sanchez should have been deported even under the sanctuary statutes in San Francisco.

A coalition of 21 big-city mayors criticized the House bill and warned that cutting off federal law enforcement grants would weaken public safety efforts.

“Overbroad immigration enforcement undermines safety for all,” they wrote in a letter to lawmakers Thursday.

“When immigrant residents can report crime without fear of deportation, immigrants are more willing to engage with local police and government institutions, our streets and neighborhoods are safer, and those who commit crime are more likely to be brought to justice.”

The White House has threatened to vetothe legislation, saying the proposal “undermines current administration efforts to remove the most dangerous convicted criminals” and doesn’t enact comprehensive immigration reform.

Meanwhile, NumbersUSA, which advocates for less immigration, urged lawmakers to oppose the House bill because the group didn’t think it went far enough.

More immigration enforcement legislation could hit the House floor in the coming months.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) said he’s received a “commitment” from Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to take additional action to ensure compliance with immigration laws.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), one of the House’s staunchest critics of illegal immigration, said he received a similar assurance from McCarthy this week about future legislation.

Fantastic way to gooooo President TRUMP….now we all know Mr. O won’t sign it into law but when you get there we all know YOU WILL SIGN IT!!!

ShaggyTheClown17

Meh wont be any reason to, he’ll have the power to order mass deportations of every illegal immigrant criminal, and then every other illegal immigrant after, wont be anything to protect sanctuary cities, but this is the best they can do for the time being obviously until obuma gets dragged out of the whitehouse.

Bodeneth

Every one of them cept about 6, are worthless. The senate tries to enact a law that forces cities to observe federal laws and the president is going to veto it. They’d never get the 3/4 necessary to over ride the veto. I will be so glad when obamanation gets outta there so we can have a president who has some sense.

Iamacitizen2

we have only had faux prezidents the last real one was Regan.

PresidentPinocchio

The White House has threatened to veto the legislation, saying the proposal “undermines current administration efforts to remove the most dangerous convicted criminals”

Says the Administration that allows criminals to waltz back into the U.S. to carry on with their crime sprees. I can’t wait until that jacka$$ in the White House is gone.

Iamacitizen2

Yes I mentioned sanitizing and repainting and taking the garbage out in a previous blog…line up those dumpsters by the hundreds and people in hazmat suits it’s gonna take a lot of sanitizing for sure.

PresidentPinocchio

The Trump Wall just got 20 feet taller.

LiberatedCitizen √ Team Trump

Those liar’s can claim all they like that they didn’t do it because of Trump. I beg to differ except for Senator Sessions none of them were even talking about it before Trump. That includes the majority of the other candidates (like Ted Cruz) who are now out of the picture.

They did it because of the girl that was killed because of the illegal SF let out when they were asked not too. They also did it because it is the right thing to do, only a liberal moron such as your self can’t see it.

HeyJudeOregon

TED CRUZ HAS BEEN FIGHTING IN THE SENATE BEFORE YOUR DAMN TRUMP ENTERED THE RACE TO DEFUND SANCTUARY CITES AND INTRODUCED “KATE’S LAW!” YOU TRUMP PEOPLE ARE ALL A BUNCH OF MORONS THAT HAVE FAILED THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE YOU HAVE BOUGHT TRUMP’S LYIN’ BULLSHIT! DO YOUR HOMEWORK YOU FOOLS.

Acecool

Your comment is inappropriate for these forums. Please refrain from using condescending words toward our readers. This is your first and last warning.

Undocumented students suffered psychological damage because Border Patrol set up a jobs booth. They are now demanding Cal State-San Marcos and UCSD be sanctuary campuses. WTF?

HeyJudeOregon

THIS IS ALL BULLSHIT! TRUMP WILL NEVER DEPORT AND THIS ARTICLE IS FALSE! TED CRUZ HAS BEEN LEADING THE CHARGE IN THE SENATE TO DEFUND SANCTUARY CITIES AND INTRODUCED “KATE’S LAW!” YOU CAN EVEN SEE IT ON OLD FOOTAGE OF FOX NEWS A YEAR AGO! TRUMP ALWAYS TRYING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR OTHER PEOPLES WORK AND CALLING IT HIS OWN. TRUMP IS A SOB!

John Redmond

yep and all those that apposed have very poor or failing congressional scores making those representatives traitors against their oath and enemies of the United States.

Iamacitizen2

I recently read where THREE former Presidents actually rounded up illegal aliens and deported them. Especially after WWII so the boy’s/men coming home from the war could get their J O B S back. So Mr. Trump wouldn’t be doing ANYTHING that hasn’t been done before. What is ALL the BIG STINK about sending them ALL back???

Look here, today 57,000 manufacturing Companies have left Amerika because of Bill Clinton’s NAFTA and take each manufacturing plant times 600 employees and you get 34,200,000 direct employment job Losses PLUS add ALL their Suppliers and their company’s to that you probably have over 50 Million people experienced loss of JOBS!!! Figure it out and take a tour around Amerika to see how must RUST is collecting on ALL of the EMPTY Buildings.

Now since Amerika is NOT producing or Making anything in the future and we become end users/purchasers/consumers only where does the money come from to buy anything that is IMPORTED only from offhshore??? There won’t be ANY JOBS and our quazi govt isn’t going to support you (they only support immigrants) because they are bankrupt already at TWENTY ONE TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT.

It sure doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure our that the DEMS have all but destroyed our country and sucked the life blood out of it with the DEMS CLINTONS coming up with NAFTA and now they are finishing off Amerika with TPP.

WAKE UP PEOPLE…WAKE UP PEOPLE your only HOPE is Mr. Trump 2016.

Gary Mathew

Not good enough… All federal funding should be stopped to the sanctuary city’s..

Hill411

Another episode of Political Theater. IF the Federal Government was sincere in its alleged efforts to remove the illegals and illegal criminals from society, the FedGov would act on the existing laws. The Sanctuary cities politicians would be arrested for harboring and aiding criminals. Can’t enforce the law because politicians might loose votes and money. Money and votes are the persuaders for law enforcement, the actual law is irrelevant.

dumpster

All states, counties, cities, and school districts need to reject all federal funding(bribery), that’s how the feds are taking over.

cojar

So, let me get this straight. Democrats believe that those who are criminals (here illegally) should be able to report the crimes of others, and be held unaccountable for their crime of entering our country illegally?